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Teacher booklets contain pre- and post-Aquarium-visit activities on a variety of subjects for students of all grades. All booklet activities are correlated to the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum. While the teacher booklets are designed to complement the National Aquarium programs and traveling outreach programs, they also work as stand-alone pieces in any classroom.

Elementary School Booklets

Sea Monsters 4-D: A Prehistoric Adventure, Grades 3–6
In Sea Monsters 4-D: A Prehistoric Adventure, the scientific process comes alive as discoveries from around the world are woven together to reconstruct the complex puzzle of this prehistoric world.Download Educator's Guide

Adaptations, Grades 2–4
The Adaptations booklet will excite and engage your students in learning about how animals are adapted to living in water. The booklet contains information to help you plan and prepare for the Adaptations traveling outreach program in your classroom.Download Adaptations

Bountiful Biomes, Grades 2–4
Bountiful Biomes will excite and engage your students as they explore the world and the animals that live in it. The booklet contains pre- and post-program activities that supplement the Bountiful Biomes traveling outreach program and discovery lab sessions.Download Bountiful Biomes

Chesapeake Bay Explorations, Grades 4–8
This booklet is an introduction to one of the key species living in the Chesapeake Bay: the oyster. Students learn how oysters help keep the Bay clean and investigate some solutions to the recent drop in oyster populations. Complements the Chesapeake Bay Explorations program at the National Aquarium and the traveling outreach program in your classroom.Download Aquarium VersionDownload Classroom Version

Chesapeake Bay Theme Day, Grades K–2, 3–4, 5–6
The Chesapeake Bay Theme Day teacher booklet provides activities that familiarize students with several animals that are found in the Chesapeake Bay. This booklet contains pre- and post-program activities that complement the Chesapeake Bay Theme Day traveling outreach program.
Download Chesapeake Bay Theme Day for:Grades K–2Grades 3–4Grades 5–6

Coral Reefs, Grades 5–8
Coral reefs provide beautiful habitats for marine animals, but few people realize that coral itself is actually an animal. Find out how a coral eats, grows and is affected by pollution in the Coral Reefs booklet. Examine real-time scientific data and play Coral Reef Survivor to learn how you can protect tropical corals. The Atlantic Coral Reef activity guides students through the National Aquarium’s exhibit in search of different coral species and fish behaviors. These pre- and post-visit activities complement the Coral Reefs program at the National Aquarium.Download Coral Reefs

Life in the Tropical Rain Forest, Grades 2–4
Life in the Tropical Rain Forest will engage students as they use props to create a rain forest in their own classroom. Students will explore four stations with artifacts and live animals relating to the rain forest.Download Life in Tropical Rain Forest

Shark Auditorium Presentation, Grades 3–5
This booklet prepares students and teachers for the Sharks! auditorium presentation at the National Aquarium. The presentation dispels common misconceptions about sharks and introduces students to the characteristics that have helped sharks survive for millions of years.Download Shark Auditorium Presentation

Student Activity Guide, Grades 3–5
Student Activity Guides provide activities for before, during and after a field trip to the National Aquarium. All the activities are correlated to the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum.Download Student Activity Guide for Grades 3–5

Teacher’s Curriculum Guide, Grades Pre-K–12
This booklet prepares teachers and chaperones for a successful and educational field trip to the National Aquarium. The guide is filled with information about the various animals and the habitats in which they live. The guide also contains the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum standards for grades Pre-K–12 as they correlate to the Aquarium field trip experience.Download Teacher’s Curriculum Guide

Watershed Moments, Grades 1–12
Everyone lives within a watershed, but what does that mean? The answer can be found within the Watershed Moments teacher booklet, which provides an overview of life in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Graph the changes in hellbender populations to discover how this animal is affected by changes within the watershed. Learn about bayscaping and how you can become a Watershed Hero. This booklet contains pre- and post-visit activities that complement the Watershed Moments auditorium presentation at the National Aquarium.Download Watershed Moments

Middle School Booklets

Chesapeake Bay Explorations, Grades 4–8
This booklet is an introduction to one of the key species living in the Chesapeake Bay: the oyster. Students learn how oysters help keep the Bay clean and investigate some solutions to the recent drop in oyster populations. Complements the Chesapeake Bay Explorations program at the National Aquarium and the traveling outreach program in your classroom.Download Aquarium VersionDownload Classroom Version

Chesapeake Bay Theme Day, Grades 5–6
The Chesapeake Bay Theme Day teacher booklet provides activities that familiarize students with several animals that are found in the Chesapeake Bay. This booklet contains pre- and post-program activities that complement the Chesapeake Bay Theme Day traveling outreach program.Download Chesapeake Bay Theme Day

Coral Reefs, Grades 5–8
Coral reefs provide beautiful habitats for marine animals, but few people realize that coral itself is actually an animal. Find out how a coral eats, grows and is affected by pollution in the Coral Reefs booklet. Examine real-time scientific data and play Coral Reef Survivor to learn how you can protect tropical corals. The Atlantic Coral Reef activity guides students through the National Aquarium’s exhibit in search of different coral species and fish behaviors. These pre- and post-visit activities complement the Coral Reefs program at the National Aquarium.Download Coral Reefs

Ocean Theme Day, Grades 5–6
Learn about sharks and other ocean animals, including whales and marine invertebrates. This booklet contains pre- and post-program activities that complement the Ocean Theme Day traveling outreach program.Download Ocean Theme Day

Rain Forest Theme Day, Grades 5–6
Investigate plant and animal interactions and adaptations necessary for survival in the South American rain forest. This booklet contains pre- and post-program activities for teachers that complement the Rain Forest Theme Day traveling outreach program.Download Rain Forest Theme Day

Squid Dissection Lab, Grades 6–12
The Squid Dissection teacher booklet provides an overview of squid and their relatives. This booklet also includes directions to conduct a clam dissection in the classroom. This booklet complements both the Squid Dissection program at the Aquarium and the traveling outreach program in your classroom.Download Aquarium VersionDownload Classroom Version

Student Activity Guide, Grades 6–8
Student Activity Guides provide activities for before, during and after a field trip to the National Aquarium. All the activities are correlated to the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum.Download Student Activity Guide for Grades 6–8

Teacher’s Curriculum Guide, Grades Pre-K–12
This booklet prepares teachers and chaperones for a successful and educational field trip to the National Aquarium. The guide is filled with information about the various animals and the habitats in which they live. The guide also contains the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum standards for grades Pre-K–12 as they correlate to the Aquarium field trip experience.Download Teacher’s Curriculum Guide

Watershed Moments, Grades 1–12
Everyone lives within a watershed, but what does that mean? The answer can be found within the Watershed Moments teacher booklet, which provides an overview of life in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Graph the changes in hellbender populations to discover how this animal is affected by changes within the watershed. Learn about bayscaping and how you can become a Watershed Hero. This booklet contains pre- and post-visit activities that complement the Watershed Moments auditorium presentation at the National Aquarium.Download Watershed Moments

High School Booklets

Behind the Scenes, Grades 9–12
This booklet introduces students to the many facets of caring for, feeding and maintaining the Aquarium's animals and exhibits. It also explores the role of aquariums and zoos in conservation education in our society. Complements the Behind the Scenes Aquarium program.Download Behind the Scenes

Phylum Lab, Grades 9–12
The Phylum Lab teacher booklet provides an overview of the eight major phyla, or groups of animals. It also contains directions for students to build a phylum key. This tool is used in the Phylum Lab program at the Aquarium and is a great learning tool for any Aquarium visit.Download Phylum Lab

Squid Dissection Lab, Grades 6–12
The Squid Dissection teacher booklet provides an overview of squid and their relatives. This booklet also includes directions to conduct a clam dissection in the classroom. This booklet complements both the Squid Dissection program at the Aquarium and the traveling outreach program in your classroom.Download Aquarium VersionDownload Classroom Version

Student Activity Guide, Grades 9–12
Student Activity Guides provide activities for before, during and after a field trip to the National Aquarium. All the activities are correlated to the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum.Download Student Activity Guide for Grades 9–12

Teacher’s Curriculum Guide, Grades Pre-K–12
This booklet prepares teachers and chaperones for a successful and educational field trip to the National Aquarium. The guide is filled with information about the various animals and the habitats in which they live. The guide also contains the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum standards for grades Pre-K–12 as they correlate to the Aquarium field trip experience.Download Teacher’s Curriculum Guide

Watershed Moments, Grades 1–12
Everyone lives within a watershed, but what does that mean? The answer can be found within the Watershed Moments teacher booklet, which provides an overview of life in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Graph the changes in hellbender populations to discover how this animal is affected by changes within the watershed. Learn about bayscaping and how you can become a Watershed Hero. This booklet contains pre- and post-visit activities that complement the Watershed Moments auditorium presentation at the National Aquarium.Download Watershed Moments

Aquarium fact sheets provide background information, fun facts, a word wall, and a list of additional resources on a variety of marine and aquarium-related topics of interest to teachers and students of any grade.